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<title>i think your words are just static by parxhosie</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24701848">i think your words are just static</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/parxhosie/pseuds/parxhosie'>parxhosie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Legacies (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, PENELOPE ISNT THE VILLIAN, anyway pls read !! i suck at tags, even if JOSIE THINKS SO, i havent written in a long time whoops, maybe multi chapters? if yall convince me i guess, post breakup, this is just angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:49:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,148</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24701848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/parxhosie/pseuds/parxhosie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If the world is black and white, then love is gray. It is not good nor bad, not lovely nor painful, but the gray area in between both.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Penelope Park &amp; Josie Saltzman, Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i think your words are just static</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If the world is black and white, then love is gray. It is not good nor bad, not lovely nor painful, but the gray area in between both. However, Josie Saltzman thinks love is dark, the darkest shade of gray. Like dark thunderous clouds in a dreary sky— a chaotic storm —shaking solid ground and obliterating it to pieces. It destroys everything in its path.</p><p>To her, that is love. It is more painful than lovely. </p><p>Ever since her breakup with Penelope Park, her perception of the world has changed. In the walls of the Salvatore school, everything reminds Josie of her.  Certain locations in the school, she's sure that the ghost of their relationship lives on. That perhaps, in another universe, they're currently together. </p><p>Josie likes to picture that in another universe, they're at the Old Mill, laughing and talking like nothing would ever come between them. That they'd be together forever. Then, she tells herself that it doesn't matter if they're happy in another universe. </p><p>Because they live in this one. And in this universe, their halcyon days are over.</p><p>Currently, they are in class together. Their teacher, Dorian, is rambling on about something but Josie doesn't have the heart to pay attention. Instead, she's fixated on watching Penelope talk to her classmates.</p><p>Penelope looks happy. Josie fears she's happier without her. </p><p>The bell rings, and Josie stands up, far too eager to leave the classroom and get as far away from Penelope as possible. Just as she's almost out the door, she is stopped by Dorian calling after her.</p><p>"Josie, wait. I want to have a word with you after class." </p><p>A scowl makes its way to her face and she sighs, but turns around and faces her teacher. "Yes?" Josie asks, already wishing for this to be over. </p><p>Dorian leans against his desk and starts rambling about how she's one of his best students, and that her distracted mindset hasn't been good lately. He then frowns, looking thoughtful. "Are you okay, Josie? Because if something's bothering you, I'm sure Alaric would want to hear about it-"</p><p>She frantically cuts him off, forcing a smile onto her face. "Nothing's wrong! Sorry, I'll make sure to be more focused next time! Anyway, bye!" </p><p>Her father doesn't care about her problems. He hasn't even noticed that she's been sadder lately. Josie clenches her fists, briskly walking out the door before Dorian can say anything more. Lost in her thoughts, she doesn't realize she bumps into someone in the hall. </p><p>"I'm sorry," Josie starts, before shutting her mouth and rolling her eyes when she sees who it is. </p><p>Penelope. Of course.</p><p>"If you wanted my attention that bad, you could have just asked," Penelope grins, as if what she said was hilarious. </p><p>It wasn't. </p><p>"I hate you," she murmurs. And although iridescent colors sparkle in Josie's mind, her words sound like stilled cobwebs in an abandoned house— hauntingly empty. The moment she says it, panicked regret clouds her judgement, but she pushes it back and focuses on the anger. </p><p>Even if she's lying, Josie wants Penelope to feel even a fraction of the hurt she caused when she left her.</p><p>A flicker of emotion crosses Penelope's face, but before Josie has time to even process what it is, it's gone. Her face is neutral, like a stranger's. There is no warmth, no love written across her face like there used to be. </p><p>"I know," Penelope says. </p><p>Despite everything they've been through, Josie can only get two words out of Penelope. Her face flushes, bitter animosity stirring in her chest. Anger bubbles up inside of her, the anger that has been there since the day she left. Tears well up in her eyes, but she blinks, telling herself that she won't let Penelope see her cry. </p><p>She won't let her see her as damaged, as hurt, Josie won't let Penelope in again—</p><p>The next thing she knows, they're kissing. Who initiated it, she isn't sure, but her hands grip onto Penelope's shirt, almost as if she doesn't want to let go. Heart beating wildly in her chest, Josie lets herself just feel.</p><p>It's there, in that moment, that she realizes the remnants of her aching heart beat for Penelope. But then Josie remembers Penelope's heart stopped beating for her a long time ago. Josie breaks away from the kiss, pushing Penelope back slightly. </p><p>She glares at her, arms crossed against her chest in a futile attempt to protect her heart. "Leave me alone," Josie spits out. "You're the one who broke up with me, remember?" </p><p>Penelope lowers her gaze so that she's staring at the floor, and this time, this time Josie thinks she finally got to her, but then she looks up again and stares Josie in the eye. She's wearing that stupid smirk, the one that Josie used to find endearing, but now makes her feel weak. </p><p>"Oh Josie, you're the one that can't leave me alone." Penelope laughs, and Josie wants to cry, wondering how she could possibly find any of this funny. </p><p>"Yeah, well, I'm leaving you alone right now," Josie says weakly, too exhausted to fight anymore. She brushes past her, ignoring the way her body trembles. </p><p>And so Josie leaves. Penelope lets her. Josie isn't surprised, she didn't expect her to chase after her. She knows it would be pointless to think that Penelope would fight for them, for she was the one that ended their relationship in the first place. </p><p>-</p><p>Night is one of the hardest things about her breakup with Penelope. During the day, she can push her to the back of her mind for a while, but at night, when the world is silent, her thoughts are deafening. </p><p>Josie thinks of their time together as frozen memories. Too much pressure on them and they break. Beautiful like ice, but the sharp edges make her bleed. She tries to tell herself not to reflect on her and Penelope but it's futile. It's always pointless, her thoughts are mostly consumed with her. She doesn't want to admit it, but a part of her knows.</p><p>Josie loves her. And that's what she hates. This isn't a fairytale, it's her life, which means the inevitable happens: an unhappy ending. Their time together (albeit fleeting) races through her mind. And the memories break, cutting her along the way.</p><p>Her idle brown eyes stare up at the ceiling above her, musing for the billionth time a different outcome to her tragic story. It's wishful thinking, Josie knows, but she can't help but do it anyways.</p><p>It hurts her. She feels empty inside. The constant ache of her heart nags at her. And that's when she realizes: the weight of the world isn't on her shoulders, it's on her chest, and she's left with the ache of time.</p><p>Josie just wishes time didn't hate her so much.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hi ! let me know what you think, maybe? i kinda rushed this a bit, but i wanted to see if people were actually interested for me to continue aha. if so then i might add onto this, but no promises !!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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